The invention relates to a textile machine felt consisting of at least one ground textile and a felt layer stitched thereon.
Textile machine felts of this type are used in particular as so-called compacting felts on special machines to render materials shrinkproof and materials which have been treated in this manner remain de facto shrinkproof during the first wash.
When using such machines, the felt must undergo several looping processes, (luring which the surface of the felt is continuously alternately stretched and then compacted. These severe movements particularly endanger the surface of the felt. Cracks can occur in the structure as far down as 5 mm in the felt and limit the serviceable life of the textile machine felt As far as the costs of the felt is concerned and the down-times associated with changing the felt, the serviceable life should be at least 1xc2xd-2 years.
It is has also been demonstrated that the serviceable life is not only reduced by the said movements but rather also by other influences on the felt, such as residue from acid dyes, bleaching agents, which are introduced into the felt from the materials to be treated, etc.
An object of the invention is to produce a textile machine felt which is better able to withstand the said effects and which as a consequence has a longer serviceable life.
This object can be achieved using a textile machine felt of the type mentioned in the introduction, where in accordance with the invention the felt layer contains at least in its surface region an elastic knit fabric.
Although this knit fabric has a stiffening and securing effect on the surface of the felt, the movement of the surface of the felt as a result of the elasticity of the knit fabric is not limited. In other words, the surface elasticity of the textile machine felt is maintained whilst the surface structure is held together.
One embodiment which has been found to be expedient in practice is characterised by the fact that the knit fabric is a continuous warp knitted sleeve.
It is also advantageous if the knit fabric consists of polyester fibres since these comply particularly well with the mechanical and chemical requirements.
It has proven to be expedient if the knit fabric is stitched onto the surface of the felt layer to form an uppermost layer since this simplifies the process of manufacturing the textile machine felt and without this the felt would have to be subjected to a stitching process where the felt layer is stitched onto the ground textile. A particular strength is achieved if the knit fabric is stitched to the felt layer using aramide fibres.
The desired strength on the one hand and the elasticity of the entire textile machine felt on the other hand are achieved if the ground textile consists of a monofilament with a multi-filament lying thereon and the ground textile is expediently a polyester fabric.
The subject of the invention is furthermore the use of a textile machine felt of the type mentioned above as a compacting felt on machines for rendering textiles shrinkproof.